MK Dons 2 Carlisle United 0: Carlisle United conceded twice in the second half as they fell to defeat against League Two's leaders.

Goals from Jordan Houghton and Kieran Agard settled the contest in MK Dons' favour with United unable to summon a reply.

The defeat at Stadium MK sent John Sheridan's side down to 13th in the table.

They had held on until the 50th minute against Paul Tisdale's side before Houghton's shot from outside the box found the bottom corner, keeper Adam Collin appearing to go down late.

They then clinched the points on 65 minutes when captain Dean Lewington broke into space down the left and striker Agard converted his low cross.

Both sides had come close to scoring towards the end of a goalless first-half largely dominated by MK.

United could have gone in front with a counter-attack on 37 minutes, when Ashley Nadesan's cross was met by Hallam Hope at the far post.

His close-range finish, though, was saved by Lee Nicholls, the post also coming to MK's aid before they cleared.

At the other end, the hosts' best chance came on 44 minutes when they cut through United as Alex Gilbey set up Rhys Healey.

His goalbound finish, though, was kept out by a superb Gary Liddle block.

It had otherwise been a case of MK controlling the first 45 minutes without seriously testing Collin.

Healey headed over early on and Lawson D'Ath saw a shot blocked by Jack Sowerby.

United suffered an injury blow on 11 minutes when Jerry Yates limped off, to be replaced by fit-again Tom Parkes, Yates having gone off at half-time with a hip injury in Carlisle's previous game at Lincoln.

Tisdale's team tested United with a series of dangerous crosses, including a host from left-sided Baily Cargill, but often saw them go unrewarded.

Nadesan snatched at a rare United chance as he got behind the defence, before Conor McGrandles and Agard went close for MK.

After Houghton's opener after the break, Nadesan saw a shot saved by Nicholls, Sheridan then sending on fit-again Jamie Devitt for Regan Slater.

But minutes later the hosts doubled their lead through striker Agard.

Hope saw an attempt saved by Nicholls in response, and Macaulay Gillesphey went close late on as United sought a way back.

But they were comfortably beaten in the end and seldom looked like ending MK's unbeaten home record.

Captain Danny Grainger, defender Parkes and midfielder Devitt were all back in the Blues squad after recent injuries as substitutes.

Gary Miller also came back into the squad after a back problem.

The crowd was 6,849, including 343 United fans.

MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams, Lewington, Houghton, Cargill, Cisse, Gilbey, McGrandles, D'Ath (Sow 81), Agard (Watson 90) Healey (Pawlett 71). Not used: Moore, Hancox, Simpson, Jackson.

United: Collin, Liddle, Gerrard, Gillesphey, Sowerby, Yates (Parkes 11), Jones, Etuhu, Slater (Devitt 60), Hope, Nadesan (Bennett 62). Not used: Gray, Miller, Grainger, Campbell.